Shoppers give U.S. retailers best sales in four months
WASHINGTON (AP)  Amer i ca's shoppers threw caution to the wind and splurged in July on cars, appliances and cloth es, catapulting sales at the nation's retailers 1.4 percent higher, the biggest increase in four months.

J.C. Penney loses less in second quarter
PLANO  J.C. Penney Co. Inc. saw its loss narrow in the second quarter from a year ago as improved department-store sales offset the struggling Eckerd drug store chain business.

Citibus, groups to assess city's transportation needs with grant
Fueled by a $50,000 grant, Citibus, the South Plains Transportation Alliance and the Texas Citizen Fund will team up to assess Lubbock's transportation needs.
The grant is from the Easter Seals "Project Action" and the Community Transportation Association of America.

'LovSan' worm worldwide headache for Microsoft systems
NEW YORK (AP)  The latest Internet attack on Microsoft operating systems by rogue software disabled tens of thousands of computers worldwide on Tuesday, though a fix had been available for nearly a month.
The virus-like worm, dubbed "LovSan" or "blaster," snarled corporate networks with an inundation of data packets and frustrated home computer users unversed in techie triage.

Judge refuses to toss charge in Tyco case
NEW YORK (AP)  A state judge refused to throw out a grand larceny charge Tuesday against the former top lawyer for Tyco International Ltd., who is accused of accepting a $12 million bonus in exchange for thwarting a federal investigation.

Reliant Resources cites $6 million loss
HOUSTON (AP)  Reliant Resources Inc. slashed its 2003 earnings outlook and pledged to overhaul financial forecasting to better match a weak market and high energy costs as the company reported a net loss of $6 million for the second quarter Tuesday. Shares plunged more than 20 percent.

Business today - 08/14/03
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed testimony from several employees of Reliant Resources Inc., the Houston-based energy company said Wednesday.

Tech's Welker could get help from Glover
They might not see fit to use it much, or they might break it out only for certain opponents, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders at least have it on the drawing board.
That is, Nehemiah Glover back deep with Wes Welker for punt returns.

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
Texas Tech defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich has a manner of delivering a harsh message to a lethargic player in a way that doesn't attract attention. He can be stern and barely raise his voice.

Autopsy: Dennehy shot twice in head
WACO (AP)  Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy was shot twice in the head and did not have drugs in his body, according to an autopsy report.

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
Texas Tech football players went through their ninth and tenth preseason practices Wednesday, but tight end Gabe Hall visited for the first time during the afternoon workout.

DTs stretched thin at Tech
Tuesday afternoon, Tommie Pratt got to put on shoulder pads in Texas Tech training camp for the first time, and probably not a moment too soon.
Now Tech assistant coach Ruffin McNeill has five defensive tackles with whom to work instead of four. McNeill could take every interior lineman he coaches down to Olan Mills for a group portrait and squeeze them all into the same sitting.

Tech baseball schedule features 11 NCAA tournament teams
When analyzing the 2003 season, part of the reason Texas Tech baseball coaches felt the Red Raiders struggled in Big 12 Conference play might have been a false sense of security from success gained in the non-conference slate.

87 Miles On 87
WE LIKE TO see South Plains cities being innovative about attracting business, and we like to see them working together. The recent 87-On-87 shopping spree was an excellent example of both.

A Business Break
WE ARE SECOND to none in our admiration of Lubbock businesses. They stand as an important part of our economy, both as employers and in the goods and services that they produce and sell.
Along with their contribution to the economy, local businesses pay some pretty hefty property taxes. South Plains Mall, for example, has the largest tax bill in the city with a payment of $625,372 due this year in city property taxes.

Beat The Heat
THE WEATHERMAN predicts cooler temperatures at the end of the week, which would be a welcome respite from the record high temperatures that Lubbock ex-perienced during the first part of August.
We hope that things do get a little bit cooler, and we hope even more fervently for rain. It has been too hot and too dry.

Part Of Society
DEVELOPMENTALLY disabled people have challenges to face, but they are still part of society. We are proud of organizations and individuals that help them contribute to society on their levels.

LISD budget proposal focus of talks today
The Lubbock Independent School District's proposed 2003-04 budget seems to be holding its own compared to the current budget.
A proposed budget including $169 million in the general fund is on the table, which is an increase of about $5.5 million from the 2002-03 budget.

SPORTS BRIEFLY
The Lubbock 3.0 men's tennis team recently won the Texas section championships in Dallas to advance to the national tournament.
The team, captained by Mitch Raindl, was one of 13 from Texas to advance to national competition.

Senior Classic begins
The 2003 UMC-West Texas Senior Sports Classic will be launched with a Senior Jamboree from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

Need-Based Scholarship?
Would it be possible to challenge the public to donate to a scholarship fund based on need, rather than on gender, race, ethnicity, etc.? Anyone with the mental ability but lacking the necessary finances would be eligible. There are a multitude of grants and scholarships available if you meet a very narrow and limited set of guidelines, of which the majority of the population do not. So why can't we, as a concerned majority, do something about it?

Pettit Column On Reunion
Re: A-J Editor Emeritus Burle Pettit's column "40 Years of Seasoning Allow Memories to Flourish" (A-J, 8-10).
My husband, Bobby Moegle, coached with integrity, without profanity and with ethics; but he was also an example for his players in his personal life. He is the Christian head of our family, a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. He is most proud of the standards and character of the men he has coached. For him, this legacy is far more important than his win/loss record. Thanks to Burle for the article and his comments.

Hats Off To Beth Pratt
A-J Religion Editor Beth Pratt is the most respected columnist I know. Many hold her in celebrity status. I am constantly amazed at the people who light up at the mention of her name.

Return To 'Texas Values'
When politicians run for office, they refer to "Texas values" as if they were synonymous with Christian or Biblical values. As implemented by the recent legislative sessions, "Texas values" means punishing and neglecting the poor. This is contrary to Biblical values.
Confronted by a huge budget deficit, caused by past tax cuts and depletion of the rainy day fund, our brave legislators first decided not to raise any taxes. Then they slashed the Medicaid budget for children and adults (since poor people don't vote), so that poor folks will ignore health problems until they become catastrophic.

Tent And Canopy Inspections
In March, the City Council gave the fire marshal's office the responsibility of issuing permits on all tents and canopies (that meet their definitions) set up in the city of Lubbock. These are all new permit costs, as there were none before.

Special Sessions Wasteful
We are extremely upset that the politicians are wasting our tax dollars by holding another special session. This is nothing but gerrymandering. (Webster defines gerrymandering as dividing the voting districts so as to give one political party a majority in as many districts as possible; manipulating unfairly so as to gain advantage.)

F-16s fly in to kick off rally for remote-control jets
The big birds are expected to fly alongside their miniature counterparts Saturday during the Fourth Annual T-38 Jet Rally, which begins today on the runways of Reese Technology Center.
"There's going to be a couple of F-16s," said Eric Williams, executive director of Reese Technology Center. "We're still hoping for a couple of World War II planes. Maybe a couple of AT-6s. And we have, it looks like, two T-38s  the jet trainers that used to fly out here."

Food Briefs
A half century ago, the most dastardly criminal activity of rural West Texas adolescents was a stealthy moonlight trip to snatch a few big specimens from the farmer's watermelon patch.

Community briefs
Wind Power Center seeks volunteers
The American Wind Power Center is seeking volunteers to greet visitors and assist in the museum's gift shop.

Plan of a Snack
Having a snack attack? Don't feel guilty. To boost your energy level without boosting your weight, many nutrition experts recommend planning nutritious snack meals throughout the day.
After-school snacks for children can refuel their bodies aftertheir hours of learning and physical activity.

News briefs - 08/13/03
Jamie Ray Hernandez, 23, of Post was upgraded to satisfactory condition Tuesday at University Medical Center. He was injured early Sunday in a rollover crash in the 7100 block of Brownfield Highway.

Patterson plans 78th march
Lubbock City Councilman T.J. Patterson is taking to the streets for the third time in three months to lead a demonstration against crime and drugs.

Return of son ends mother's 11-year ordeal
As Wissam Jaber stepped off the plane late Monday night at the end of a 26-hour flight from Beirut, he searched the crowd for a face he hadn't seen in more than a decade.
He knew his mother would be waiting for him, as she had been ever since the day he disappeared 11 years ago.

Girl's whereabouts unknown
Police are looking for a teenager and her mother, Linda Faye Smith of Levelland, who is wanted on an arrest warrant issued in Kimble County for interference with child custody.

Online intruder bugs local systems
The "Blaster" worm that has knocked computers offline around the world has reared its ugly cyber head in Lubbock.
The virus-like network infection, also known as "Lovsan," attacks almost all Windows operating systems from 1998 to 2003 via the Internet. It crashes individual computers but does not appear to delete files or cause permanent damage.

Vaccine protects monkeys from Ebola
CHICAGO  A team of government scientists racing to counter bioterrorism threats, SARS and AIDS believes after three years' work it has found a single-dose vaccine that protects monkeys from Ebola.

Small Doses
Walk benefits diabetes association
Entries are being accepted for all indi- viduals and teams interested in participating in America's Walk for Diabetes 2003.

Asthma
Another staple quickly is joining the protractor, compass, spiral notebook and No. 2 lead pencils among the list of must-have school supplies  the inhaler.
An estimated 17 million Americans have asthma, including 4.8 million who are younger than 18. As many as one in 10 children suffer from asthma, and the rate is expected to more than double within the next 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Arrests foil alleged missile plot in U.S.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Federal authorities said Tuesday they arrested three people and foiled an international plot to smuggle into the United States a shoulder-fired missile that could shoot down a commercial airliner.

Man arrested for attempting to sell missile to supposed terrorist
WASHINGTON (AP)  A suspected arms dealer who thought he was selling a shoulder-fired missile to a Muslim terrorist bent on shooting down an airliner actually was the target of an international sting operation that resulted in three arrests, federal officials say.
Authorities in the United States, Britain and Russia cooperated in the investigation, which began months ago with a tip that the dealer, a Briton, was seeking weapons to buy in St. Petersburg, Russia, several U.S. law enforcement officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Victims' remains go unidentified
NEW YORK (AP)  The remains of as many as 1,000 people lost in the World Trade Center attack might never be identified, according to the forensic biologist leading the monumental DNA identification project.

Backfires set to protect historic lodge from blaze
WEST GLACIER (AP)  Fire fighters set backfires along the western side of Lake McDonald on Wednesday to try to keep a massive wildfire in Glacier National Park from burning a historic lodge and private homes.

Heart attack cuts down Marine hours after joyous return home
WEARE, N.H. (AP)  After eight months in Kuwait and Iraq, Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Dale Racicot just wanted to see his wife and two daughters.
Giddy with excitement, the family headed for the airport on Friday in Racicot's cherished "Marine Corps green" pickup truck to start what his daughter Keri Magnarelli called "a reunion of a lifetime."

Jacquelyn (Jackie) Dennis
Jacquelyn (Jackie) Dennis passed away on Aug. 12, 2003, at the age of 57. She was born Mary Jacquelyn Harkey on Aug. 31, 1945, in Lubbock to Raymon and Wilma Harkey. She married Bob Dennis on Jan. 4, 1969, before moving to Colorado City, Texas, in 1970. She was a Baptist. She worked at Hutchinson Elementary Cafeteria for ten years. Her big, blue eyes and great smile made her a joy to be around.

Raymond B. Hailey
Raymond B. Hailey, 78, of San Angelo, passed away Monday, Aug. 11, 2003 in a local medical center. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 in the Johnsons Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Charles Greenwell officiating.

Marylue Pauline Smith
Marylue Pauline Smith died Thursday, Aug. 7, at the IHS Hospital in Lubbock. She was buried at the Fairview Cemetery near Savoy, Fannin County, Texas. A Memorial Celebration will be at the Sunset Church of Christ, Lubbock, Texas at 10:30, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2003.

Dr. O. W. Marcom
Funeral services for Dr. O. W. Marcom, 95, of Levelland will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 at First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Jesse Hodge, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the City of Levelland Cemetery under direction of George C. Price Funeral Directors. He died at 9 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 10, 2003 at Hickory House in Levelland.

Trinidad H. Valdez
Service for Trinidad H. Valdez, 80, of Shallowater will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 at Guajardo Funeral Chapels with the Rev. Elizabeth Abraham officiating. Burial will be at Resthaven Cemetery under the direction of Guajardo Funeral Chapels.

LaVerne Pace
Funeral service for LaVerne Pace, 88, of Littlefield, will be 11a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 at Sunset Baptist Church in Littlefield. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home of Lubbock.

Ray Lewis
Church services for Ray Lewis, 73, of Morton are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15, 2003 at 10 a.m., at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Morton with the Rev. James Pope officiating. Burial will be in the Morton Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home of Morton. Ray died Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2003 in Morton.

Gregorio "Goyo" Ramos
Services for Gregorio "Goyo" Ramos, 75, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church with the Rev. David Cruz officiating. Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Guajardo Funeral Chapels. Burial will be in Resthaven Cemetery under the direction of Guajardo Funeral Chapels.

Eva Rankin Rowden
Church services for Eva Rankin Rowden, 81, of Morton are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15, 2003 at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dan Carter and the Rev. Jon Foster officiating. Burial will be in Morton Memorial Cemetery.

Death notices - 08/14/03
Good Brendle, 82, of Lubbock died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003, at Heritage Oaks in Lubbock. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Oakwood Baptist Church in Lubbock. Resthaven Funeral Home in Lubbock.
Eula Johnson Brown, 80, of Tulia died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003, in Llano. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tulia. Wallace Funeral Home in Tulia.

Margaret Lee Stone
Margaret Lee Stone was born April 2, 1927 in Post, Texas to the late Mr. And Mrs. Franklin Augustus and Letha Cook Porterfield. She graduated from Post High School in 1944 and attended Texas Tech University. Margaret married T.A. Stone in Grassland, Texas on Aug. 13, 1945, he preceded her in death on March 31, 1996. Mrs. Stone retired from First National Bank of Tahoka in 1995, after 24 years of services as a bookkeeper. She was a member of the Eastern Star, Weslyann Circle and the First United Methodist Church in Tahoka. Mrs. Stone was a lifelong resident of Lynn County.

Leroy Good Brendle
Services for Leroy Good Brendle, 82, will be at 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15, 2003 at Oakwood Baptist Church in Lubbock with Dr. Cleve Haley and the Rev. Dale Cain officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home of Lubbock. Burial will be at 10 a.m., Monday, Aug. 18, 2003 in Connestoga Memorial Cemetery in Lancaster, Pa. under the direction of Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home.

Death notices - 08/13/03
Ruby Mae Akin, 93, of Plainview died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003, at her residence. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Ninth and Columbia Church of Christ. Bartley-Silva Funeral Home of Plainview.
Services for Noma Lee Baker, 80, of Plainview will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Colonial Chapel at Wood-Dunning Funeral Home in Plainview.

Police blotter - 08/13/03
Blotter information is compiled from reports filed with the Lubbock Police Department. To report information about these and other crimes, call Crime Line at 741-1000. In some cases, cash rewards are offered. Callers may remain anonymous.
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

NL roundup
CHICAGO  Moises Alou hit a three-run homer and Chicago's bullpen didn't allow a run over the final 42/3 innings as the Cubs beat the Houston Astros 6-4 Wednesday.

NL roundup
CHICAGO  Carlos Zambrano held Houston to five hits to win his fifth straight start, getting his first major league shutout as the Chicago Cubs beat the Astros 3-0 Tuesday night.

NFL TRAINING CAMP ROUNDUP
NAPA, Calif.  The Oakland Raiders ran through a light Tuesday morning practice, setting aside the pads and heavy hitting so they could mend a few injuries before facing the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.

Liberty hand Sun tough loss
UNCASVILLE, Conn.  Fighting for a playoff spot, the New York Liberty weren't about to let another close one slip away.

AL roundup
ARLINGTON  Jeremy Bonderman pitched seven solid innings and Brandon Inge had three RBIs as the Detroit Tigers spoiled the major league debut of Texas starter Juan Dominguez with a 7-4 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night.

Hopes high as final major starts today
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP)  Optimism at the PGA Championship has never been so high for so many players, and not just because Tiger Woods has gone five majors without winning one.
It comes from Ben Curtis winning the first major he ever played.

TE Campbell good fit for Parcells' offensive scheme
SAN ANTONIO (AP)  Dan Campbell is the kind of bulky, physical tight end that Bill Parcells likes to use in his offense, both as a blocker and a receiver.
Campbell and Parcells seem to be a perfect fit for each other and the Dallas Cowboys.

Hobbs police searching for clues to man's death
HOBBS, N.M.  Police were trying to find out Tuesday what caused a 25-year-old Lovington, N.M., man to die after apparently falling out of a moving vehicle Monday afternoon.
About 4:50 p.m., officers found Jose Angel Sanchez lying in the street just west of the intersection of Hallam and Oak streets. He was pronounced dead about 6:30 p.m.

Morton High football player hit by car, critically injured
MORTON  A "popular, smart" athlete was in critical condition Wednesday night at a Lubbock hospital after being hit by a car early in the day.
Derrick Green, 16, was riding a skateboard on West Grant Street about 6:30 a.m. when he was struck by a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. He was en route to football practice at Morton High School.

Man gets probation after brother's death
BROWNWOOD (AP)  An Abilene man was sentenced to five years' probation in the October drowning of his brother in Lake Brownwood. Billy Brant Cochran, 41, pleaded no contest to criminally negligent homicide in the death of Ralph Cochran Jr., 46, of Clyde.

Activities focus on spiritual awareness
The Rev. Nancy L. Wilson, elder, of Florida will speak for the Annual West Texas Spiritual Awareness Weekend from Friday through Sunday at Metropolitan Community Church, 4501 University Ave.
Kate Jones of Dallas will be the soloist.

Electrician dies after plunging nine stories
HOUSTON (AP)  An electrician working at a building where former President George Bush has an office fell nine stories through a ventilation shaft and later died, polce said Wednesday.

Perry signals firm stand on redistricting
AUSTIN (AP)  A day after Senate Republicans voted to impose fines on their Demo cratic colleagues who are boycotting the chamber over congressional redistricting, Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday indicated he would call another special session on redistricting and other issues.
"If there is work to be done, I expect the Legislature to be here conducting" it, Perry said, when asked if he would call another special session. "You could surmise that if they want to stay in Albuquerque, that's their choice, but there is work to be done in this state."

Senate Republicans vote unanimously to levy fines against absent Democrats
AUSTIN (AP)  Republican senators remaining in Texas voted Tuesday to fine the 11 self-exiled Democrats who are holed up in a New Mexico hotel for each day they are absent from a second special session on redistricting.
Without objection, the Republicans and one Democratic senator approved a resolution to fine the lawmakers starting at $1,000 a day, and the fine would double for each day they miss the session. The fine is not to exceed $5,000 a day.

Don Pablo's
Robin recently celebrated a birthday with a dinner at Don Pablo's Restaurant. We chose this restaurant because of Robin's love of Mexican cuisine.

One-vehicle rollover sends men to hospital
ACUFF  A cup of coffee caught the blame for a one-vehicle rollover that sent two brothers to the hospital early Wednesday, according to the Department of Public Safety.

U.S. soldiers face at least year in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP)  All troops in Iraq should expect to serve for at least a year, with brief rest breaks in the region and possibly a few days at home, the commander of U.S. forces said Tuesday. That came as news to some soldiers.
"It's a one-year rotation," Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez told The Associated Press in an interview. "Every soldier has been told that they'll be deployed for a year, and then at the end of the year we'll be working to send them home."

U.S. soldiers fire into crowd of protestors, killing one Iraqi
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP)  U.S. soldiers shot into a crowd of thousands of demonstrators in a Baghdad slum on Wednesday, killing one civilian and wounding four after a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at them, the military said. North of Baghdad, guerrillas killed two American troops.
In Sadr City, a Shiite Muslim slum, about 3,000 demonstrators gathered around a telecommunications tower where they said American forces in a helicopter tried to tear down an Islamic banner. U.S. military spokesman Sgt. Danny Martin said it was apparently blown down by rotor wash from a helicopter.

Pentagon to send 200 more troops into Liberia
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Pentagon plans to send 200 more U.S. troops ashore in Liberia to help Nigerian peacekeepers get food and other emergency supplies flowing and to provide a land-based "quick-reaction force" in case the peacekeepers get in trouble, officials said Wednesday.

Allies unite in demand for nuclear-free Korean peninsula
WASHINGTON (AP)  American, Japanese and South Korean officials met Wednes day to forge a united front demanding that North Korea dismantle its nuclear weapons program.
The discussions at the State Department also involved conciliatory steps the allies might take. Already, Secretary of State Colin Powell has offered to put in writing assurances that the Bush administration does not intend to attack North Korea.

Liberian rebels accept accord to lift siege of nation's capital
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP)  Liberia's leading rebel movement agreed Tuesday to lift its siege of the capital and vital port within two days, allowing food to flow to hundreds of thousands of hungry people.
The accord came as a second rebel group launched a push on Monrovia, sending refugees fleeing vicious new assaults a day after warlord-turned-president Charles Taylor resigned and went into exile. Witnesses reported machete-wielding fighters were attacking indiscriminately near the airport.